Sheet metal container



Jan. 5, 1943. R. NYDEN SHEET METAL CONTAINER Filed Jan. 11, 1941 1 INVEN OR Qf g . Patented Jan. 5, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I i I snaa'r M zz gm'ramm Robert lflydem ltianhasset, N. Y. Application January 11, 1941, Serial No- 374.093

2 Claims. f (Cl- 220-43) The present invention relates to sheet metal containers of the type usually employed for packaging medicinal products such as tablets or powder and the like. Such containers ordinarily include a shallow box body and a cover therefor which has depending flangededges adapted to telescope over the body. The cover and body are normally flxedly hinged together along one side and have cooperating means on the opposite .side for locking the container when closed. The cover flanges normally closely embrace the walls of the body for substantially their depth thereby producing a frictionally sealed package. In order to open the container, it is necessary to grasp the box in the fingers of. one hand and pry open the lid with a fingernail of the other hand. This method of opening quite often jars the container.

causing the contents to b disturbed or spilled.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a container of the above character which may be readily and easily opened and which overcomes the ioregoing limitations.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a container having a'cover loosely hinged on opposite side walls to permit free movement of the rear edges as the container is opened and closed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawing:

Cooperating cover latching means 2| on the front walls of the cover and body, retain the cover against accidental opening when in closed position.

The cover It and side walls 19 and 20 are provided at their juncture with an elongated internal shoulder 22 which terminates short of the front and rear walls and is adapted to bear against the upper edge of the side walls l2 and I3 for rigidly supporting the cover in parallel relation with the body. The rear end of the shoulder (Fig. 4) forms a fulcrum about which the cover is rocked during the initial opening movement by the application of squeezing pressure at any point along the rear edges oi! the cover and body.

The walls l2 and I3 are oflset inwardly a slight distance as at 23 in the region of their rear ends and a pair of aligned outwardly formed projections 24. or protuberances are formed thereon to provide a part of the hinge connection between the cover and body. The projections extend outwardly a distance substantially equal to the depth of the offset 23. The hinge provides for substan- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container illustrated in open position and embodying the principlesoi' my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of tainer;

the con- 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of one hinge corner of the container;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view of the container with the cover partially raised;

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the cover in full opened position; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the container in the region of the hinge and is taken on line 6.6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, my invention is embodied in a sheet metal container having a shallow substantially rectangular body 8 including a bottom 5 rounded at the corners, upstanding front and rear end walls Ill and II respectively and side walls I2 and i3. A cover l5 for the body includes a top is having continuous depending A tial free movement of the cover on the body, complete separation thereof being prevented by a pair of inwardly turned flanges 25 pressed from the lower margin oi the walls 19 and 20 and normally side and end walls of both the body and cover are each of substantially uniform height, the loose hinge connection providing for lateral separation of the cover and body during opening in order that the rear wall of the cover may pass around and under the wall of the body. With the cover in closed position, the ridge 26 lies within the offset area and thus does not interfere with the closing of the cover.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal container comprising a shallowsubstantially rectangular body having continuous upstanding side and end walls, a cover for the body having continuous depending walls adapted to telescope over the walls or the body,

said walls or both the cover-and body belng'oi' substantially uniform height, a pair of internal shoulders formed within the cover lengthwise oi body includinga bottom and upstanding side and the side walls at their juncture with the cover for 1 supporting it on the side walls or the body. one

end of said shoulders forming a fulcrum about which the cover is initially rocked, inwardly oii'set areas at one end oi each side wall of said body, a

Y pending side and end walls adapted to be tele- 7 end walls. the side walls in proximity to their juncture with one of the end walls beingoflset inwardly.) pintle directed outwardly from each oilset portion a distance no greater than the depth of the latter,.a cover comprising a top and-deover the side and end walls oi the body.

hinge connection for said cover and bodycomprising a pair of outwardly extendingjaligned pro- Jections formed in the side walls or the body. within the oilset area, flanges iormed on the lower margin oi the side walls of the cover opposite said oiiset area and normally positioned below said and cover when closed.

each side wall of the cover having an internal horizontal rib along its lower margin at a point opposite the oil'set portion of the body side walls, a and a vertical rib at a point opposite the inner end or the onset portion, means ior limiting telescopin; movement oithe body and cover functioning with the side walls of the body as a fulcrum about which the cover is initially rocked. and means for separably connecting the free end of the body ROBERT mm; 

